It’s great to know that exercise can be done anywhere, indoors or outdoors. By having a home gym or a space at home for your workouts, you may find it a lot easier to boost your physical activity.

Working out at home is one way to overcome the greatest barrier to becoming active: “I don’t have enough time.”  By using your home and having a few pieces of exercise equipment or tools to help you, you will always have “fast access” to a workout, helping you to be more active and get health benefits.

Why Choose a Home Gym?
Although one of today’s trends is to go to local fitness clubs to workout, this approach doesn’t work for everyone. For instance:

• Some people feel self-conscious or uncomfortable if they think others are watching them while they are exercising. (At home, you can do your own thing, at your own pace.)
• Many people – such as shift workers or busy parents – can’t make it to the gym or fitness club during scheduled hours (whereas a home gym allows them to exercise at any time).
• The cost of going to a local gym or club is often too high, as other monthly or life expenses may take priority. Gym or fitness activity costs can be especially high for large families or households with multiple members, which can make having a home gym the more economical choice.

Planning Your Home Gym
Before you purchase any equipment, make sure you have a clear idea of the available space you have in your residence for working out, and any fitness equipment you may wish to purchase or install.

• Choose a room or location with good ventilation and plenty of room to move around. This might be your basement, a spare room, your living room or even your garage. (In summer, take your workouts outdoors when you’re in the mood for it!)
• You may not need a lot of space if you are simply doing exercises or using an exercise mat. But if you want to install special equipment, you’ll need to ensure your chosen space is large enough and safe for the all of your chosen activities or routines.

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Plan a Well-Rounded Exercise Program
A well-rounded exercise program or fitness routine should be your goal, whether you use only your home gym, or a combination of physical activities (such as using a home gym, participating in a team sport, and attending a fitness class in your community).

When you have an established home gym or workout space, it can really help to improve your strength and cardiovascular fitness, leading to many health benefits. Here are a few more tips:

• Take your time to carefully choose the equipment that works best for you and the types of fitness or exercise routines you are planning.
• For major fitness training equipment, only buy one item at a time. This allows you to become familiar with the equipment. Over time, you can add more items and slowly build up the range of equipment in your home gym.  

Inexpensive Tools for Strength Training
Having a good selection of strength training tools in your home gym will give you a great start! Plus, you won’t get bored by your workouts, as you’ll be able to change your activities as often as you want, when you want.

Here are some inexpensive suggestions:

• exercise ball
• exercise mat
• hand-held weights
• resistance bands

Exercise Balls
Exercise balls come in different sizes. They generally cost about $40 or less, so they are a sound investment, when compared to the cost of exercise classes.

Find the size that is right for you. Most people tend to use a ball large enough that they can sit on it comfortably (i.e., so your legs are at a 90 degree angle or greater).

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Exercise balls can be used to develop your core muscles. With an exercise ball, you can do exercises such as sit-ups, push-ups, planks, hamstring curls, and much more.

An exercise ball can also be a replacement for a workout bench. The exercise ball provides less stability then a bench, which engages more of your body’s core muscles when doing exercises, such as a chest press.

Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are an inexpensive, lightweight and portable tool that can be used to improve strength. They are also commonly referred to as exercise bands, resistance tubing, or therabands.

Resistance bands come in different forms and different resistance levels. Some are resistance tubing with a handle on each end, which makes it easier to hold onto when doing some exercises. Others look like medical tubing or an oversized elastic band.

Resistance bands that offer more resistance usually come in darker colours, while those offering less resistance come in lighter colours. Prices typically range from $4.00 to $12.00.

Here are some examples of basic exercises you can do with resistance bands:

• bicep curl
• tricep extension
• one arm row
• chest press
• shoulder press
• leg press

Hand-held Weights (or Free Weights/Dumbbells)
Free weights are hand-held weights that you can use to strength train. They're available in many weights, but using weights under 15 pounds is probably all you will need for your home gym. For instance, you might lift a two-pound weight in each hand when doing an easy workout, moving up to 4-, 5- or 10-pound weights when you are physically ready.

Choosing the right weight depends on your fitness level and experience, as well as the type of exercise and number of repetitions you are doing.

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Some of the most common free weight exercises are:

• chest press
• shoulder press
• bicep curl
• tricep kickback
• one arm row

Don’t “play around” with weights. Get advice from a fitness expert if you are not sure how much to lift, how many repetitions to do, or what routines to follow.

Exercise Mats
There are many different exercise mats available for purchase. Among the most popular types of mats are yoga mats, Pilates mats, and other types of foam-vinyl mats. Prices can range up to $100 or more, but a standard mat will not cost much more than $20 to $40.

• Yoga mats are thinner than the other types (about 1 cm thick, or less), as they are meant to help you grip and feel the floor, partly because many yoga poses are performed standing up. Yoga mats are designed to prevent slipping, so they feel a bit sticky to the touch, compared to other mats.
• Pilates mats are a bit thicker than a yoga mat, typically 1.25 cm thick, or more. More padding is needed for Pilates, as some moves involve rolling on your back. A Pilates mat needs to be firm; if the mat is too soft it will not allow you to balance as well, and may result in alignment issues.
• Foam-vinyl mats are generally the thickest and the softest of the mats. These mats are good for doing kneeling exercises, as well as crunches or sit-up exercises. Given these mats are thick and soft, they offer less stability and balance, so they are not a good choice when doing yoga or other balance exercises such as Pilates.

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Cardiovascular Training in Your Home Gym
You can get all the cardiovascular training you want in your home gym, at a low cost. For instance, you can follow a fitness video that leads you through a cardiovascular workout. Alternatively, you can run on the spot, use a skipping rope, or do a variety of chosen exercises or routines to get your heart pumping, such as dancing, or using a stepping board for a step workout.

If you prefer to use training equipment that helps you move, there are all kinds of indoor bikes, treadmills or step machines (or other items) you can choose from at retail outlets. Plan to spend some time doing price and feature comparisons. Look for items that are on sale and that are well-rated in consumer guides.

Treadmills
The two main types of treadmills are non-motorized and motorized.

• Non-motorized treadmills have running belts that require you to exert physical force with your legs to move the belt and start the treadmill. The treadmill then works at your own speed, based on the amount of force you use, whether walking, jogging or running. For some people, keeping the treadmill at a constant pace can be a problem. Non-motorized treadmills may cost only a few hundred dollars or less, although pricier models are available with more features. Used treadmills are often available for less than $100 through local classified ads or online sources.
• A motorized treadmill can be set to a specific speed and grade (hill level) and you have to keep up with the treadmill. These treadmills are usually larger and have more features. Costs for a new one can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, while the price of used ones is variable.

Whether you buy new or used, shop carefully and make sure the one you purchase has the features and functionality you are seeking. Used items should be in good working order, while news ones should be easy to assemble. Before you buy, consider the weight and size of the treadmill, the space you have available for it, and the quality of the equipment.

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Indoor Bicycles
There are two main types of indoor exercise bikes; recumbent bikes and upright exercise bikes.

Recumbent bikes are often preferred by older adults. When using a recumbent bike you sit in a reclined position (leaning back) with your legs out in front of you. This type of bike is easier to peddle, and reduces strain on your back muscles and buttocks.  With a recumbent, it’s harder to reach higher levels of pedalling intensity, compared to using an upright bike. No cost?  We have provided the cost for the others?

An upright exercise bike is similar to the traditional outdoor bicycle. You can sit upright or stand up while biking, and can cycle easily at low, medium or high intensity. New models may cost from $200 to $500 or more, while used ones may be available for $100 or less. 

Exercise Stepboards
Exercise stepboards are portable, elevated platforms that can be adjusted to different heights. Stepboards are often used in aerobics classes and home exercise videos. Steps are primarily used to step or jump on, but can also be used as an exercise bench. A new stepboard (including risers to adjust the height) typically costs about $75 to $125.

Exercise Videos
Over the years, consumers have had lots of choice when it comes to different types of exercise videos. Most aerobic exercise videos include a warm-up, a combination of cardiovascular and strength training exercises, and a cool-down. Many videos include multiple levels of the same exercise, so they can be equally helpful to beginners or those with more experience. A typical exercise or fitness video may cost from $20 to $40, or less. Used videos may cost you as little as $5.  

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Before You Start
If you have not exercised recently, or have a health condition, see your physician before you begin using your home gym to meet your exercise or fitness goals.

Whatever your goals, make sure you develop a plan. Always start with small goals first, and avoid overdoing it during your first sessions. Go slow, enjoy yourself, and keep it fun!  Turn on your favourite music or exercise with a family member or friend.

If you don’t know how to safely do one or more of your chosen exercises, be sure to consult an exercise professional. Once you have eased into a regular routine of easy exercises, you can slowly increase the duration and intensity of your workouts. Good going!

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Learn More
Selecting and Effectively Using a Home Treadmill

Selecting and Effectively Using Rubber Band Resistance Exercise
A brochure from the American College of Sports Medicine.

Fitness for less: 4 low-cost ways to shape up
Online article published by the Mayo Clinic.

Fitness ball exercises: How-to video collection
Online resources available from the Mayo Clinic.

Strength training: How-to video collection
Online resources available from the Mayo Clinic.